March 7, 2006
WACO, Texas - Baylor senior Ryan Baca (Richmond, Texas) was named Big 12 Conference Golfer of the Month for February, earning the award for the second straight month, the league office announced Tuesday. Baca, who has finished first in three straight events, also earned the award for November (no award is given in December and January).
Baca, who is now ranked fifth nationally in Golfweek's individual rankings - won both individual titles to lead the Bears to a pair of team victories at their two February tournaments - the UTSA Intercollegiate and the Lexus Naples Intercollegiate Invitational. He shot 25-under par in six rounds last month, finishing with a 67.33 stroke average. He also finished first at the Hawai'i Fall Invitational in November.
Baca got the spring off to a scorching start, setting the Baylor 54-hole record with a total of 199 to blow away the field for an 11-stroke victory at UTSA. He started the tournament by firing a 64, a career-low and one off the school record, then 67 and 68 to finish 14-under par. For his performance, he was named Golf World's Men's Player of the Week.
He kept his roll going by carding three more rounds below par to finish at 11-under par 205 to capture his second straight title at the Lexus Naples Intercollegiate Invitational in Naples, Fla. Baca opened with a 4-under par 68, followed by a 70 and a final-round 67.
The victories now give Baca six for his career, the most at Baylor since accurate records have been kept since 1988. He also continues to move closer to the all-time leader in top-five and top-10 finishes. Baca now has 24 top-10s and 16 top-fives, trailing current PGA Tour professional Jimmy Walker by two top-10s (26) and three top-fives (19).
While the women's golfer of the month award has gone to four different players, the men's award has only gone to two with Baca winning the last two and Oklahoma State's top-ranked Pablo Martin winning the first two.
The Baylor men's golf team, currently ranked 12th nationally by Golfweek, is in action at the Louisiana Classics in search of its third straight win.
